Haunted Castle on Hallows Eve Read Online Free PDF

man,” he breathed.
    Awk-nee and Jah were gone. Annie and Jack were back.
    Jack wiggled his fingers and toes. He felt his face: his mouth, his nose, his ears. He loved having his own body back!
    â€œTeddy’s going to be so surprised,” said Annie.
    â€œHe acts like he’s the only kid who can do magic.” She looked around the nursery. “Hi! We’re back!” she called to the invisible children. “Guess what? We’ve got the diamond!”
    â€œThe diamond! Where is it?” said Jack. “I must’ve dropped it when you changed us!”
    Suddenly they heard a swoosh and a flapping at the window.
    â€œTeddy!” cried Annie. She and Jack whirled around.
    But Teddy wasn’t there.
    Instead, perched on the ledge of the nursery window was a horrifying creature. He was part human and part raven. He had silky feathers for hair, a beak for a nose, sharp claws, and a billowing feathered cape that glistened in the moonlight like shiny black armor.
    â€œGood evening,” said the Raven King.

J ack and Annie were too stunned to speak.
    Staring at the bizarre creature, Jack remembered the story of the Raven King—how the king had wanted to be a bird, how he had stolen a spell from the Wizard of Winter, how the spell had worked only halfway and left him half bird and half human.
    The Raven King jumped from the window to the floor. One by one, his raven bodyguards swooshed into the room after him. At least twenty ravens came through the window. SoonJack and Annie were surrounded by dark wings, sharp beaks, and bright eyes.
    Once his guards were in place, the Raven King twisted his head from side to side, looking from Jack to Annie. “Where are the two ravens who stole my diamond?” he asked in a raspy voice.
    â€œWhat diamond?” asked Annie.

    â€œWhat … what ravens?” asked Jack, his voice trembling. He wished desperately that he still had the Diamond of Destiny to give him strength and courage.
    â€œThe ravens that came to this castle after raiding my treasure room,” said the Raven King. “Where are they hiding?”
    Jack tried to imagine that he
was
still holding the diamond. “We don’t know anything about them,” he said in a low, steady voice. Pretending to hold the diamond actually made him feel brave.
    â€œYou don’t know anything about them?” said the Raven King.
    â€œNo,” said Jack. “You must have the wrong castle.”
    â€œAh, the wrong castle,” said the Raven King.
    â€œYes,” said Jack.
    â€œPerhaps you’re right,” said the Raven King. “But are you certain you haven’t seen them? They look very much like this little one here.”
    The Raven King threw his cape over his shoulder and held up an iron birdcage. A raven was held captive inside.

    â€œJAH, AWK-NEE!” the raven croaked.
    â€œTeddy!” cried Annie.
    â€œHis name is Teddy?” said the Raven King. “How charming. I’ve caught a Teddy. I think he’ll make a wonderful pet, don’t you?”
    Jack was horrified to see Teddy trapped in the Raven King’s cage. “It’s not charming,” he said. “It’s cruel. You better let him go, or else!”
    â€œYeah, let him go,” said Annie. “Or else.”
    â€œOr else?” said the Raven King. “Or else what?” With backward jerks of his head, he laughed a raspy laugh.
    As the king laughed, Jack glanced at the floor under the window. He saw the hazel twig. He moved toward it.
    The Raven King caught sight of him. His laugh stopped abruptly. “CREE! CAW!” he croaked to one of his bodyguards.
    Jack dashed for the twig. But before he could grab it, the king’s bodyguard had swooped across the floor and picked up the twig in his beak. Asthe raven carried it to the top of the window, Jack noticed that one of his tail feathers was bent.
    â€œJack, look, it’s Rok!”